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Hunger in Massachusetts
In 2005, The Greater Boston Food Bank conducted the
most comprehensive study on hunger in the state’s
history. The study demonstrated that the number of
people seeking food assistance in the Commonwealth
increased 14% in 2005 vs 2001 (the year of the last
study). Hunger is an increasingly serious problem in
eastern Massachusetts and across the United States.
The Hunger in Eastern Massachusetts 2006 study was
part of a national initiative lead by America's Second
Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network that conducted
research nationally. The “Hunger Studies” are conducted
every 4 years.
Key findings for eastern Massachusetts include:
- 14% more people (321,000 people in 2005) sought
food assistance in 2005 than in 2001.
- About a third of the households receiving food
assistance have a child under 18 years of age.
- Nearly a third say that their children are not
eating enough because they couldn’t afford enough
food.
- Many of those interviewed had to make
unreasonable choices:
- 45% had to decide between food and heat.
- 39% had to decide between food and rent.
- 30% had to decide between food and medical
care.
- The study also shows that there is no one face
to hunger.
- 84% have a place to live.
- Over a third of the households served have
one or more working adults.
- 46% of the clients are between 30 – 49 years
old.
- 52% live in the suburbs.
- Nearly 2/3 are registered voters.
- Poverty and food insecurity are linked:
- Average monthly income of those receiving
food assistance is below the Federal poverty
level.
- $880 is the average monthly income; $12,210
is the average annual income.
To read the Hunger In Eastern Massachusetts 2006
Executive Summary,
download this pdf:
Source - Greater Boston Food Bank
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